Vitamin C has many known biological functions, e.g., acting as a wound healing accelerant. to prevent or treat periodontal disease, as an enzymatic co-factor, as a "sparing" agent against vitamin E depletion, as a collagen-synthesis stimulator, etc. Vitamin C is known to counteract oxygen-containing free radicals, including both the superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. These oxidative free radicals are generated in-vivo under a variety of normal and pathological conditions, and vitamin C is known for its ability to ameliorate conditions caused by oxygen free radicals, e.g., sunburn, cataracts, premature aging and a variety of other degenerative conditions.
Because of the beneficial effects attributed to vitamin C, many attempts have been made to formulate liquid vitamin C compositions. However, because of its notorious instability, particularly at higher pH's, pharmacologists and other scientists working in the field have had difficulty formulating stable liquid vitamin C compositions that would be useful in preparing various end-use products.
It would be highly desirable to provide vitamin C concentrate compositions, and end-use products prepared from these concentrates, which have improved physical stability and chemical stability under less acidic conditions.
It would also be highly desirable to provide such vitamin C concentrate compositions which are especially adapted for use in preparing a wide variety of end-use products, including cosmetic products, medical products, including dermatologic, dental, opthalmic and surgical products, wound healants, etc., and various food products, e.g., processed foods, beverages, nutritional supplements, etc.